Blackheart Saga: All That Remains
by Lyonene
Summary: Alex and Co. are shacking up at his cousin Ember's house. The problem is... so is a Demon. Between trying to keep Matt from tearing them apart, Ashley's PMS and Jeff being his usual hyper self... Alex is ready to kill something.
1. Chapter 1

**Part One**

How in the blue Hell did he get himself into these messes? First the whole thing with Kane, then the Hardy brothers and the werewolf incident, now this.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU COULDN'T FIND THE PAMPRIN?"

Where were the Fire Demons and Lycanthrope when he needed them?

Alex held out the small sack of things he'd bought from the mini-mart across the street, waving it like a peace offering. "I got you Midol and chocolate doughnuts."

"You trying to make me fat?"

"Ashley, please don't make me stab you, I'll do it." He cautioned.

Ashley snatched the sack from him, slamming the motel room door in his face.

Alexander groaned, raking a hand through his hair. "God… I'd take Kane back any day over this shit."

**********

Matt and Jeff were playing King's Corners when Alexander walked in, working their way through a box of chicken wings, several empty 2 liter bottle of Mountain Dew scattered about.

"You two are pigs." Alex muttered, wondering how he'd gotten lucky enough to be stuck sharing a room with dumb and dumber.

Then the shriek from the room next door reminded him.

"How much longer until she's… sane?" Jeff asked, looking at the wall apprehensively.

"Oh… another three to four days." Alexander sighed, lighting up a cigarette.

They'd had to stop traveling just so Alex wouldn't be stuck alone in the corvette with Ashley.

He point blank refused to ride with the raging, ragging woman any longer.

It didn't help that Matt and Jeff refused to take her along with them in their jeep.

So now they were shacked up at a motel, Ashley in her own room (thank god) and the three men sharing one, cutting back on expenses.

"You know… my cousin don't live that far from here." Alex murmured thoughtfully. "If we could keep the queen of mean in a decent mood, we could go out there and stay."

"Queen of mean?" Matt echoed, arching an eyebrow.

"I HEARD THAT!"

"Oh…"

*********

"Your cousin lives HERE?" Ashley removed her black sunglasses, no longer needing them due to the abnormal amount of willow trees in Alex's cousin's front yard.

"Yep." He nodded, stepping out of the corvette, looking behind him to find Matt and Jeff getting out of their jeep.

Standing before them was a three story house, painted purple and turquoise with a slanted roof, chimneys and oval windows everywhere.

"This place is awesome." Jeff whistled, his green eyes locked on the front porch, taking in the twining black roses that covered the porch columns.

"Anyone home?" Alex called out, leading the way up the mosaic path to the porch steps. "Hey! You in there?"

"I'm coming damn it! SHIT!"

Matt jumped when a loud bang came from the house, echoing around them, followed by pink smoke pouring out the open windows. "What the hell?"

Alex was wondering that himself.

A woman stumbled out the screen door, coughing and waving her hand in front of her face. "Fuck me… too much dragon's blood." She gasped, bracing herself against a column.

"That's YOUR cousin?" Ashley stared at the woman in disbelief, doubting these two could be related. This woman didn't appear to be anything like Alex.

"Ember, what the hell are you up too now?" Alex demanded, walking up the steps to pat her back.

"I was making incense." She muttered, wiping tears out of her eyes before straightening up, surveying him. "Hey Alex." She smiled, wrapping him in a hug. "I'm so sorry about Alexa." She murmured.

Alex swallowed hard. If it'd been anyone but Ember mentioning his sister, he probably would have cococked them. As it was, he just nodded, clearing his throat and stepping away from her. "I brought you some house guests."

"I see that." Ember studied the three assembled before her.

"The one with fucked up hair is Jeff, the other is his brother Matt and that little spitfire is Ashley."

Ashley flipped Alex off, smiling at Ember, walking up to shake her hand. "I'm glad to see someone who's normal." She said, sounding relieved.

"Normal?" Ember echoed, hazel eyes widening. "Honey, you are in the WRONG house."

"Ember is Pagan." Alex explained, not surprised when Jeff's green eyes lit up. "And a witch."

"Aren't they the same thing?" Matt asked curiously, shooting his brother a 'calm down' look.

Ember laughed, shaking her head. "No, they're not. You can be one or the other without being both. "Let's see…" She looked at Ashley first. "You're on your cycle."

"How'd you know that?"

Ember's eyes twinkled amusedly. "You have a pack of Kit Kats in your shirt pocket, wearing loose pants and keep looking at Alexander like you'd slit his throat in a heartbeat."

"Cute." Ashley muttered, pulling out the Kit Kats and ripping open the package. "Fucking great."

"She's normally a bright little ray of sunshine." Alex said sarcastically.

"I'm sure she is." Ember walked down the steps, halting to stop in front of Matt, frowning slightly. "What the hell…" She grabbed his head and pulled him down so they were face to face. "Alex, may I ask you something?"

"I'm sure you're going to no matter what I say."

"Why are his eyes surrounded by a yellow ring?"

Matt frowned, jerking his head away.

"You tell me Ember." Alex said, watching Matt amusedly.

Matt shot Alex a look.

"Hmm." Ember got a speculating look on her face. "Some kind of enchantment I'm guessing. What are you?"

"A werewolf." Matt muttered, waiting for her to shriek and back off.

"Nice, lucky for you, you have five days till the next full moon."

"How does that make me lucky?"

"Gives me time to set up something to keep you safe, I have gun-toting neighbors."

"What about me?" Jeff demanded eagerly, bouncing up and down on his feet.

"You need to learn not to use so much energy in your spells." Ember said bluntly, giving him a once over before heading into the house. "Bring your bags."

"How'd she know all that?" Ashley asked in a whisper as she followed Alexander into the house, frowning when she was decked in the face by the beads that served as a door.

"Probably because she was scrying." Alex replied off-handedly, making a face as he stepped into the kitchen. "Christ woman, you over did it on the incense don't you think?"

"Just a tad." Ember frowned, peering down at the table, taking in her mess. "I can mix oils fine, when it comes to making this shit-" She gestured. "I can't seem to get it right."

"Stick with store bought."

"Blow me."

**********

"How'd you come by all of them?" Ember asked softly, busy making dinner later that night while Alex sat at the kitchen table, smoking a cigarette.

"Ashley I met in a bar, killed a Demon who was harassing her. Matt and Jeff just kinda strayed onto my path."

"Hmm." She eyed him shrewdly, tossing him a head of lettuce.

Alex stared at it for a minute before pulling out on of his own knives, beginning to chop it viciously. "Now I don't know how to get rid of them. I promised to help Matt with his

Lycanthrope problem and Ashley… she'd be dead without me."

"Where's your path leading to cousin?"

"The Undertaker."

Ember pursed her lips, staring at him intently. "You realize he probably knows you're coming don't you?"

"So much for the element of surprise."

**********

"Hey… Emmy, wait up!"

Ember halted, turning around to find Jeff chasing her, raising a hand to shade her eyes. "Did you just call me Emmy?"

Jeff skidded to a stop in front of her, nodding, reaching out to take the basket from her hand. "Yeah, whatcha doing?"

"Picking herbs." Ember replied, looking torn between being amused and annoyed.

"Can I help?"

Ember looked down into the basket, then at the plants around her. "Um, I guess."

**********

"What is your cousin and Jeff doing?" Matt asked three days later, arms folded over his chest as he watched the two working.

"My guess would be casting." Alex replied, taking a long drag off of his cigarette.

Ashley, who was back to normal, arched an eyebrow, watching from her place on the porch steps. "Casting what?"

"Did you two forget what tonight is?"

"Full moon." Matt said softly, not believing how fast the month had gone by.

Alexander sighed, flicking away his cig and dropped down to sit on the edge of the porch, planting his feet on the ground. In the month since he and Ashley had met the brothers, they'd been on a wild goose chase looking for the werewolf that had bitten Matt.

You'd figure, how hard would it be to track down a slobbering, mad beast? People were bound to notice SOMETHING right?

Wrong.

Nothing. Zilch. Nada.

Alex hadn't even heard anything on the Undertaker front, even though he had kept his ear to the ground. In fact, since picking up Matt and Jeff, the whole world of the supernatural pretty much died off. Though he blamed that on them, not many creatures were loathe to mess around with BOTH a Lycanthrope and a Warlock.

However incompetent they might be.

**********

Jeff groaned, his arms shaking and finally let them drop, wincing when the green light that had been surrounding him and Ember vanished.

Ember plopped down on the grass, the long willow tree branches keeping the sun off her already hotter then Hades frame and glared at him. "How in the Hell did you manage to put up a warding spell?" She demanded.

"I don't know." Jeff admitted, dropping down next to her, plucking grass idly. "I was panicking and it sort of happened."

She groaned, burying her face in her hands.

"What?"

"Jeff, we've been practicing this spell for the past three days and we STILL can't get it right. You realize we have until sunset to do this right?"

Jeff nodded, looking troubled. "I know Emmy." He sighed, tossing the grass he'd plucked and raking his hands through his hair. "Why don't we just do another warding spell?"

"Because technically, warding spells are supposed to keep things OUT. We'd want some sort of binding spells and I don't know anything big enough for a werewolf. How you managed to not blow yourself up when you cast that spell is beyond me." Ember said, studying him thoughtfully.

"I was in bed for a week." He admitted sheepishly. "It took a lot of energy from me."

"I'm surprised it didn't kill you."

"I thought magic required personal energy though?"

Ember looked at him, cocking her head to the side. "It does, but not as much as you put out. You're overdoing it Jeff."

"I kinda figured that Emmy. So what do we do now?"

"Hmm… c'mon."


	2. Chapter 2

**PART TWO**

"What're you two doing now?" Ashley demanded curiously when she seen Jeff and Ember walking towards them.

"We're going to hit the springs." Ember explained, looking at her cousin. "We need to recharge."

"The springs?" Matt arched a curious eyebrow at his brother.

"Yeah." Jeff grinned cockily. "We're gonna get sky clad and 'recharge'." He yelped when

Ember smacked him upside his head. "We're NOT getting naked."

"Have fun cuz." Alex smirked, looking amused.

As they headed around the back of the house, Jeff shot the trio another grin, wiggling his eyebrows.

**********

"They've been gone an awfully long time." Ashley remarked, watching as the sun slowly began it's descent.

Alexander nodded, leaning against the porch columns, not looking worried.

"Think Matt's okay?"

"I think he's probably wishing we'd shot him."

"You're such a cock sucker sometimes Alex, you know that right?"

He sighed dramatically, turning to look at her. "You tell me at least once a week Ashley, honey bunches, so yeah, I know."

Ashley folded her arms over her chest, pushing away from the house to stand in front of him. "Have you always been such a jerk?"

Alex looked like he was actually considering it before finally nodding. "Yep, always."

"Here they come." Matt said, walking out onto the porch, looking more alert then they had ever seen them, the yellow rings around his eyes quite pronounced.

"Huh?" Ashley stared at him, instinctively taking a step back, remembering the last time she'd encountered Matt as a werewolf.

Matt smiled understandingly at her, tossing his head back. "I can smell them coming." He looked down at the porch, suddenly ashamed.

"Dude… if we could harness this thing, you'd have some awesome abilities." Alexander said slowly, looking thoughtful.

"Alex!"

Matt shook his head. "He's right Ash, but there's no way to control it. Once… I've changed, I'm gone, nothing more then a beast."

Ashley became distracted when Jeff and Ember walked around the house, each wearing a white robe, hoods over their heads. "What the hell are you wearing?" She demanded, planting her hands on her hips.

"What the hell does it look like?" Jeff retorted, adjusting the front of his, scuffing his bare feet in the cool grass.

"Looks like a dress to me." Hs brother replied, glancing out at the all to rapidly vanishing sun.

"So, what's the plan Ember?"

"We're going to try locking your hairy hide in a field."

"What kind of field? Like a force field?"

Ember looked amused, nudging Jeff when he started snickering. "Yeah, sure Spock, a force field."

Alexander didn't look so amused. "If you alchemists don't mind, hurry it the hell up, Matthew here will be doing his animal way too soon for comfort."

"Can't rush art Alex." Ember chided, gesturing Matt down.

Matt hesitantly stepped off the porch, moving to stand in between Jeff and Ember, looking more then uncomfortable.

Ashley sat down on the edge of the porch next to Alex, refusing the cigarette he offered her, wrinkling her nose. "Think this will work?"

"If not, I came prepared." He pulled out his Beretta 9MM from the inside of the denim jacket he wore.

"You'd shoot Matt?" She asked incredulously.

"Well if you prefer to have to buy electric razor's Ashley I could always let him bite you."

"Have I told you you're a cock sucker today?"

"Yep."

**********

"Think it'll hold him?" Jeff murmured, leaning against Ember as she wrapped an arm around his waist, feeling her leaning against him as well.

"I hope so." She replied softly, looking ready to drop.

They'd trapped Matt in a green orb, barely in the nick of time because he'd started his transformation before they'd completed the spell.

"How long will that thing last?" Alex demanded, his eyes fastened on Matt, mouth a grim line.

"Until he's human again, why?"

"I'm going to sit out here tonight, just incase."

"No faith." Jeff shook his head, looking at Alex almost pityingly before heading inside with Ember, both needing to sleep desperately.

Ashley followed them inside, shaking her own head.

**********

Alex sighed, resting out along the porch, his head propped up on his elbow, smoking yet another cigarette, watching as Matt tried repeatedly to leap through the barrier, only to wind up yelping and jumping back, sparks shooting off the spot he'd tried breaking past.

"You need to sleep Alexander."

He rolled onto his back to find Ashley staring down at him, carrying blankets and pillows tucked under her arms. "This ain't no slumber party woman." He growled.

She rolled her eyes, dropping down besides him, unfolding the blankets and laying one down on the porch, setting a pillow at the top of it. "Shut up."

Alex reluctantly moved onto the blanket, resting his head on the pillow, not about to admit to her how good it felt. He sighed heavily when she covered him, arching an eyebrow when he realized Ashley was laying down next to him. "What're you doing?"

"Keeping you company." She said simply, snuggling against his side.

Alex blinked, glancing back at Matt before turning his head to look down at her.

"You're welcome." Ashley murmured, a smile playing her lips.

**********

"Last night Mattie and then you're free to run wild again." Jeff teased, escorting Matt to the circle.

"I'd rather be shacked up all damn night then wear a freaking dress." Matt replied, not taking too kindly to his brother's jests.

"Shut up, both of you." Ember sighed, more then used to this by now. "Ready Jeff?"

"Ready Emmy."

"You know, if anyone else was to call her that, she'd flay them alive." Alex remarked, smirking down at Ashley.

"She likes him." Ashley smiled sweetly.

"If you two don't shut the hell up you're going to make us mess this up!" Ember snapped, trying not to blush.

**********

His wild black eyes took in the green orb before him, smiling with malicious intent at the raging beast inside. He reached out one gnarled hand to touch the orb, his deep laughter echoing throughout the air as the orb dissolved.

**********

"FUCK! MATT'S LOOSE!" Alexander yelled, on his feet the moment the green barrier vanished, Beretta out before him.

Ashley was trembling, hiding behind Alex. "Where'd he go?" She shrieked, unable to keep the fear out of her voice.

"If I could fucking see, I'd tell you!"

"Alex, what's going on out there?" Came Ember's tired voice from inside the house.

"Nothing Em, go back to bed!"

"You fucking liar!" Ashley hissed, taking a moment to glare at him before going back to scanning the yard. "She and Jeff could help us!"

"They'd die Ashley! They're both running on empty!"

She shut up, backing slowly towards the door.

"Don't move." He hissed, grabbing her wrist none too gently in one hand, still aiming the Beretta at whatever might move with the other.

They both turned three shades of white when they heard a window smashed followed by Ember screaming then Jeff cursing.

"FUCK ME HE'S IN THE HOUSE!"

**********

Jeff and Ember were throwing whatever they could at Matt, both knowing better then to even attempt to defend themselves with magic. They were slowly being herded into the bathroom, the werewolf backing them in.

Jeff pulled the door shut behind them, ducking when claws burst through the flimsy wood. "MATTIE!"

"Matt ain't in right now you moron!" Ember snapped, more concerned about their own asses then Matt's at the moment. "Incase you're blind, that's a freaking WEREWOLF!" She grunted, driving her elbow into the full length mirror on the wall, bending down to pick up a long, jagged shard.

"What're you doing?" Jeff demanded, eyeing her suspiciously as he backed away from the rapidly disappearing door.

"I'm going to commit suicide, what the hell do you think? He gets in here, I'm stabbing."

"THAT'S MY BROTHER!" Jeff roared, lunging for the shard.

"I didn't say I was going to kill him!"

**********

"Whoa shit, big dog!" Alex grunted, shoving Ashley back down the stairs when the werewolf leapt at them. "Christ!" He fell the last remaining steps, sliding on his back, shooting as Matt jumped right over him. "Ash, move your ass!"

Ashley was paralyzed with fear, crouching down in a corner, holding onto the wall as if it could somehow save her.

"Useless woman!" Alex snapped, quickly getting to his feet. He wasted no time, just shot.

**********

"He went straight for Ember and Jeff…" Alex murmured, thinking aloud as he paced the front porch, a cigarette dangling from his lower lip, looking like he hadn't slept a wink. Which he hadn't.

"You think maybe because the werewolf in him remembers them putting up that prison thingy?"

Ashley asked curiously, sitting on the porch swing, legs tucked up underneath her.

"Possibly. I don't know all that much about Lycanthrope besides how to kill 'em."

"Think Matt will be okay?"

"We got the bullet out, it didn't go in near any major organs, fairly certain we prevented infection. Yeah, he's going to live to terrify another day."

"What bout Jeff and Ember?"

"Ember's stab wound is healing nicely and I'm sure the guilt trip Jeff's suffering will do him some good too."

"You're a harsh man Alexander."

"I'm inclined to agree Miss Massaro." He mock bowed to her, in a surprisingly good mood today.

**********

"That hurts."

Jeff nearly jumped out of his skin when Ember spoke, even if she used a hoarse whisper. He stared down at her, regret in his green eyes and continued to bathe the wound, a stab wound that right through her left side. "I'm sorry Emmy, I didn't mean to stab you."

"I know you didn't." Ember replied with a dismissive smile, wincing in pain. "You were just trying to protect your brother. Speaking of, how is he?"

"Alex shot him." Jeff said flatly, now smoothing a healing salve on her.

Ember frowned, raising her body when he wrapped gauze around her, not minding her partial nudity in the least. "He shot Matt? Is he alive?"

"Yeah, he's resting." Jeff raked a hand through his hair, studying a strand of the fading blue, making a face when he seen the blonde coming through. "After he transformed back, Alex dug out the bullet. He's fine, he'll just be down for a few more days. You on the other hand, can get up tomorrow."

Sighing, Ember laid back against the pillows, looking at Jeff thoughtfully. "How did Matt break through our spell is what I want to know. We did it right, it should have held him until the morning."

Jeff looked troubled, the same thought had been on his mind all night.

**********

Those wild black eyes stared at the house, smelling the four inhabitants, smelling fear pouring from every crack, every pore. A dark chuckle, both demonic and mad, sounded, echoing throughout the woods.

**TBC with Volume Four: Shadows Of The Night**


End file.
